Future Consoles and Banning Used Games

[george]

So, if you haven't heard, the new Playstation has been dubbed the "Orbis." Like the new XBOX, the system is said to block used games, only allowing you to access content with your gamer tag. Through paying some sort of fee, you can access this content if you were to get it used. All of this is from a "source with knowledge of the matter" so this could all be untrue.

As games move toward digital distribution, I wonder what kind of impact this will have on our collections. Will physical copies of games go way up? Or will less people buy these new consoles and convert to PC gaming? I for one see myself buying less games, maybe avoiding the consoles all together if this is true.

The funny thing is, I rarely buy used. The only time I get used is when I discover a game far after it has been released. Either way, I get fired up when I read this sort of stuff. Do you know how many crap, short games come out? And developers expect us to pay $60+ for them and be stuck with them?

In the end, I just see my future children selling my entire collection to Pawn Stars for $50 and feeling like they got some sort of deal lol.

Thoughts?

[soera]

The thought of this is disturbing. Used games are the mainstay of this hobby. Most people do not buy a game new and have such eternal love for it that they never consider selling it. It sounds pretty selfish of the big companies to think that all games should be only purchased new. But we will see how it pans out. If gaming does go totally digital, I wont care however. I dont really have many new gen games anyhow. And, barring some amazing release of something totally new and exciting, I dont see me buying anything new in the near future anyhow.

[matt]

The thought of this is disturbing. Used games are the mainstay of this hobby. Most people do not buy a game new and have such eternal love for it that they never consider selling it. It sounds pretty selfish of the big companies to think that all games should be only purchased new. But we will see how it pans out. If gaming does go totally digital, I wont care however. I dont really have many new gen games anyhow. And, barring some amazing release of something totally new and exciting, I dont see me buying anything new in the near future anyhow.

This is kinda how I feel about it. Modern games don't give me that collectors buzz like the old nostalgic stuff. Nowadays if I can digitally download a game, I'm all over it simply for the convenience.

[atariboy]

If the next gen of consoles is download only with no possibility of getting it on some form of physical media, I too will not be purchasing any of the new consoles. It bothers me that these companies may be alienating some of its customers. As hard as it is to imagine not all people have high speed internet. How will they be able to play the next gen consoles? I used to live out in the country and loved that I was able to get demo discs to try before I buy, but that is not possible anymore. You have to high speed internet just to get demos anymore. I just think it's a huge mistake for a console company to go completely download only.

[scott]

I don't see how the gaming industry can pull off a console the blocks used games from playing. Look at places like GameStop, Amazon, Best Buy even. They all sell used games, and GameStop was built on the trade-in deal. Not to mention the Rental business. If they release a new system that doesn't allow for used games to be played on their console, they are not only hurting their fanbase, but also an entire economy worth of businesses.

[tpugmire]

Has there been any buzz about Nintendo pulling a similar boneheaded move?

[madmax]

If that happens we might see the end of game collecting as we know it. We might see some "never used/sealed" games but if they tie games to your console, collecting will probably halt there. I don't see how they could force that system to work though, you would need to be online constantly for the "DRM" to work and consoles aren't always online...

[jcalder8]

Like I said in both the 360 and PS3 topics, this will not happen. If Sony/MS take away used games sales Gamestop/Amazon/Best buy/ anywhere else that sells used games will simply not carry the system. From what I understand companies make very little off the sale of the system so if they are losing their bread and butter(that being used sales) why would they want any customers to buy the system.

[torchickens]

I'd hate to see this happening. I know that under US law (although I live in England), when you buy a new game you are technically only buying the license to that game, which means that buying used games is technically 'illegitimate'. No matter what though, I don't think people will be able to ban the sale of used games completely and I think doing so would actually encourage the practice.

I thought I was 'bad' for importing games, but it seems that video game companies are attaching a stigma to buying used games. It is understandable in a way, because the company in ownership is not gaining a profit, but in practice I don't think it really harms them. I think blocking used games for use on a system will only just alienate potential customers and do more harm than good.

[hexen]

It's annoying, the mentality behind this. A game should be like any other physical item with ownership belonging to the owner. I typically don't download games and the rare ones I have I don't track in my collection because if I want to spend money on something I want some proof I own it rather then fleeting data with the ability for it to be taken from me at any time.

I'd be a little more accepted of it if the reduced cost by eliminating physical production was passed onto the consumer, but it isn't. When a physical copy cost the same as a data version I will always get the physical one even if it means waiting a bit.

[ffxik]

Future consoles left on store shelves to collect dust.

[killerchameleon]

I tried to warn you all back when I saw the Onlive system, cloud gaming is coming sooner than you think.  Love the convenience hate the fact that were loosing physical media like the music and movie industry, going to miss seeing people waiting in lines at Best Buy all night to get that must have new game.  It's all coming to an end, we no longer have to leave the house.  :'(

[blipcs76]

I fear this for the game industry just as I fear it with movies, music and books.  I have a large DVD & blu-ray collection (my other collection hobby) and hate that these industries are trying to wean us off of physical media.

Digital delivery is convenient, but it wipes out the collector aspect, and doesn't allow you to buy used, loan out your stuff, sell things you no longer want, etc. With no used market and consumers entirely dependent on digital distribution, we're at the mercy of the game publishers and hollywood.  We'll pay what the price is; no more looking for used copies or sales.  We lose the ability to rip a disc to our computers to put on our mobile devices, stream to media centers, etc.  We will only be able to view/play what is being offered (look at the holes in the Netflix/Hulu libraries for example).

I use Netflix for stuff I have no interest in owning, but I'm fighting digital distribution kicking and screaming every step of the way.  Any future game consoles that prevent used games from working or go entirely digital will not get my money.  We know that the WiiU will at the very least still be using disc-based media, so I may game on for at least one more generation.

The thing is, there are still hundreds of games I want to buy and play that exist now on current and past consoles.  If I could never buy a new game again, I could live with that.

[scott]

The thing is, there are still hundreds of games I want to buy and play that exist now on current and past consoles.  If I could never buy a new game again, I could live with that.

I said this to my buddy last night. There is 30 years of video gaming to play, and there are thousands of games I have never played and I am more than happy to revisit my older consoles and retro game.

[ffxik]

I tried to warn you all back when I saw the Onlive system, cloud gaming is coming sooner than you think.  Love the convenience hate the fact that were loosing physical media like the music and movie industry, going to miss seeing people waiting in lines at Best Buy all night to get that must have new game.  It's all coming to an end, we no longer have to leave the house.  :'(

Won't have to worry about that anymore.  Best Buy is shutting down 50 stores, at the moment.  Could be a lot more if they can't get their profitability back.